[Beneddie1112]

Hey people,

Had an idea earlier to buy an ice cream van and advertise a job to the driver in turn for 50% of the profits. This then encourages them to drum up more business (Obvioulsy) as they will earn more money. I would then plan to reinvest the profits into more trucks around the country ,

What do you think?

At least it sounds nice in theory,

Cheers,
Ben

[G.Howlerson]

I think it would work fine if 50% of profits was enough of a salary. I don't know the numbers for an icecream van, but I'd be surprised if the profits are so great as to allow it.

[Calibre Designs]

Have you been reading Duncan's autobiography Ben?

[Beneddie1112]

I have indeed Kay, but this was an idea I had a while ago when I saw a van for sale.

Have you read it?

Cheers,
Ben

[Indizine]

I wouldnt recommend going into the icecream van industry as a long term business thing on reading this:

"Under an amendment to the Education and Inspection Bill, local authorities will be given new powers to stop ice-cream vans from operating near school gates. The move comes as operators claim that they are already being forced out of business by an over-zealous health lobby. Local authorities have banned ice-cream vans from using pay-and-display parking spaces and set up "ice-cream-free"exclusion zones around busy shopping streets."

Everything has a life cycle im afraid, so you'd need to consider this. Sounds like a declining industry, what is left of it.

[Sheffy]

Surely there are plenty of other places to go though, fairs, shows etc.

[Indizine]

yes he could, but many of the current and/or larger operators will be bagging those spots well in advance. Loads to consider and a business plan with lots of thorough research needs to be done before investing in this business. Plus its seasonal so he needs to find a driver that is good at marketing and approaching organisers and all that stuff, who will work on that basis for half the year. Sounds a tough call to me. Duncan did it himself because he owned the business and was the driver. BVuying the van is the easiest bit.

[ParentsforPlay]

I wouldn't go there it's all about areas and patches it seems and a never ending battle to try and get new ones and keep hold of the ones you have. A lot of big companies out there.

We were offered £3000 by a company for the rights to sell Icecream at Oldham carnival for 2 days.

Sarah

[PremierPDS]

Yep, all the big businesses compete for the tenders for licenses to sell in specific areas on this kind of stuff now- I'd agree with what the others have said and leave this well alone. Like anything else in a competitive market, your idea has to have an unique selling point and simply selling ice-cream isn't going to cut it- you'd almost certainly find it very hard (though probably not impossible) to compete with the more experienced and established companies who've been in the game for a long long time.

[lakeview]

As long as you research into it and have a good business plan i think you could make a living doing it.